City’s new lottery offers innovative way to support good causes

Last week, the Portsmouth Lottery was launched. In the Spring of 2016, the Labour Group on the city council welcomed the proposal for an innovative way to fund local good causes. We are pleased that robust decisions have been taken about the administration of every aspect.So what is the Portsmouth Lottery?
Think of it as a bespoke local version of the National Lottery’s Lotto. You buy a ticket to be in with a chance of winning a share of the pot. A big chunk of the money collected is given to good causes.
The success of Team GB at the Rio Olympics, many of whom benefitted from Lotto funding, demonstrates what a positive impact this kind of funding model can make.
The Portsmouth Lottery jackpot is capped at £25,000. There are also smaller prizes. At 50 to one, the odds of a win are significantly better than the Lotto!
Most importantly in the Labour group’s view, the money that goes on good causes is all distributed locally, making a real difference on our doorstep in these hard economic times.How exactly does it work?
Tickets cost £1. For every ticket bought, 20p goes into the prize pot. 60p goes to local good causes. 20p covers the costs involved in managing and administering the Lottery.
The Lottery is not run by the city council. It is managed by an external company, Gatherwell, which specialises in this field. No taxpayers’ money is being diverted from services to set the project up, and none will be required to maintain it. The small start-up cost is covered by an underspend in the Council’s Resources budget. Ongoing costs will be covered by the administration fee.
Charities, voluntary organisations and other good causes that work in Portsmouth can benefit. Already, more than a dozen have signed up to be considered.
The decision about where to allocate funds will be taken by voluntary groups in collaboration with a cross-party group of councillors. These choices will be made on merit, and independent of council strategies and priorities.Raising the profile of local charities
Stephen Morgan, deputy leader of the Labour group said:“Research tells us that whilst many people can name a national charity, two thirds of people are unable to name a local charity.I’m delighted to be involved with the launch of the new Portsmouth Lottery. Not only does it provide a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the local voluntary and community sector and the invaluable work local groups do to improve local life, it also helps raise much needed funds for good causes.I am happy to support the Portsmouth Lottery because it means more good will be done for the most vulnerable in our city.”If you are a good cause and would like to benefit, sign up at www.portsmouthlottery.co.uk